Vehicle



J. E. SHEARER.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV,

J. E. SHEARER.

VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1. 1918. 1 33 1m) Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOR F f f J0: 3.51m?

KW o o BY 5 W UNITED STATES PATENT oEEioE.

JOE E. SHEARER, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO HERBERT D. LAFFERTY, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

VEHICLE.

Application filed November 1, 1918..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Jon E. SHEARER, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of Oakland, county of Alameda, State of California, have made a new and useful Invention, to wit :a Vehicle; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, concise, and exact description of the same.

The invention relates particularly to the construction and arrangement of the vehicle and the steering mechanism thereof.

Among the objects of the invention are to provide a convertible toy wagon that may be used as an overhung or underslung vehicle by the simple expedient of turning it upside-down.

Another object is to provide a vehicle of the maximum strength and endurance at the minimum cost and having an attractive appearance. Other objects and advantages will appear as this description progresses.

In this specification and the annexed drawings, the invention is illustrated in the form considered to be the best, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to such form because it may be embodied in other forms, and it is also to be,

understood that in and by the claims following the description it is desired to cover the invention in whatever form it may be embodied.

In the accompanying two sheets of drawings ,Figure 1 is a side elevation of a wagon constructed in accordance with this invention when operating in the underslung position.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation in a smaller view of the same in an upright position showing the leading tongue in the intermediate position between the underslung and the overhung.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the wagon in the overhung position.

Fig. 4: is a plan view from above, proj ected from Fig. 1, illustrating the construction and arrangement of the rear axle construction in the overhung position.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, projected from Fig. 3, in the underslung position.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged plan view in detail illustrating the turn table or steering mechanism. I

Fig. 7 isa pl'an view=in"fragment'ary de- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 6, 1920.

Serial No. 280,643.

tail partially broken away illustrating the construction and operation of the steering mechanism.

F ig. 8 is a similar view in side elevation, and

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary side elevation of the steering wheel and turn table in detached detail.

In the underslung position, shown in Fig. 1, the wagon is adapted to be used as what is known in the trade as a scooter, in which the board or body is hung beneath the center of the wheels near the ground and is used by the operator by placing one foot on the board and propelling the vehicle with the other foot. In Fig. 3 the other position is illustrated in which the wagon may be used as a coaster, the board being elevated above the axis of the wheels, the operator sitting on the board and propelling the vehicle by pushing with the feet or by elevating the feet on to the foot rests and permitting it to coast down inclines. Hereinafter the wagon will be referred to as a scooter when in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, and as a coaster when in the position illustrated in Fig. 3. The toy is appropriately named Topsy-turvy because it is convertible to either type by the simple expedient of inverting it.

In detail, the construction illustrated in the drawings, referring to Fig. 1, includes the board body 1 of any desired dimensions preferably slightly tapered at the front at 22; all corners being rounded as at 33 to avoid possible injury to juvenile users. The rear wheels 14 are mounted upon the opposite ends of a drop axle preferably formed of a single piece of round rod 5, extending across the width of the board 1 and secured thereto by the brackets 66 fixed to the board and bent at an angle and provided with-holes through which the axle 5 extends in contact with the surface of the board. At opposite sides, the axle is bent downwardly as at 77, then outwardly to form the axles 8 upon which the wheels d are suitably mounted to rotate. To hold the drop offset of the axles upright, the brackets 9-9 are fixed to the opposite edges of the board and extend downwardly at an angle and are provided with holes in their ends through which the axles 8 extend. The drop axle 7, the brackets 8 and the intermediate board 1 providing a triangularly braced structure. In the scooter position in Fig. 1, the weight applied to the board bears against the cross rods 5'of the axle. In the coaster position, shown in Fig. 3, the weight applied to the board 1 is supported by the clips 66, see Fig. 4:, the board being rigidly secured between the rods 5 and the clips. A straight axle may be used, and spaced away from the board 1 in any suitable manner.

The steering mechanism comprises the front wheel 11, rotatable upon the cross shaft or axle 12 having the lateral extensions 1313 adapted to act as foot rests. The weight applied to the board 1 is transmitted to the front axle 12 through the brackets 14: and 16 secured to the opposite sides of the board at the front end. These brackets are offset at 1 l16 and extended forward as at 1718 with intermediate spaces or slots between. These portions 17 and 18 are secured together by the rivets 19-19, 21-21, riveted on opposite sides of the extensions 17 and 18 and extending through the rotary spacing sleeves 2223 acting as anti-friction rollers, see Figs. 6 and 7. The front axle 12 is provided with the antifrietion rollers 24 and 26 revoluble thereon in the slots between the bracket extensions 17 and 18, through which the whole load resting upon the front axle is supported.

The front wheel is held in the center of oscillation by means of the segments 27 and 28. These are preferably composed of sheet metal slitted and bent in opposite directions to form the straps 29 encircling the axle 12 on opposite sides. These plates are likewise provided with slots extending on opposite sides of the axle 1.2 to hold the rollers 2a and 26 against lateral displacement. To hold the plates 27 and 28 in proper relation, the sleeves 31--31 are interposed between the plates and the front wheel and the similar sleeves 3232 are driven on the main axle. from the outside ends which they grip frictionally tight and prevent the lateral displacement of the plates. The outer peripheries (if these plates 2728 form seg ments of a true circle, having its center in the center of the front wheel 11. The peripheries of these plates bear against the anti-friction rollers 2223 within the limitations of which the front wheel is free to oscillate laterally in a circle circumscribed by the peripheries of the plates 27-28 between these rollers 2223. It is desirable that these plates 27-28 pivotally engaging the axle 12 through the straps 2929 be free to oscillate in horizontal planes, as shown in Fig. 9, whereby wear is uniformly distributed throughout the height of the rollers 2223 preventing the wearing of grooves therein in steering the front wheel.

For leading the wagon and controlling the front steering wheel, the tongue 33 having the cross handle 34 is provided. The side strips 3636 are fixed on the sides of this tongue and have their outer ends provided with holes engaging the front axle 12, on opposite sides of the front wheel 11, in-

termediate the sleeves 3131. This tongue is free to swing on the axle 12, and assume a position in parallel contact with the board 1, as shown in Fig. 2, or toward the opposite side of the board illustrated in Fig. 3. T o accomplish the position shown in Fig. 2, the side strips 36 are given a slight curve as shown. The particular advantage of this nesting of the handle is in shipping and handling the wagons, permitting them to be closely packed together, thus conserving space. The tongue 33 can be used to push or steer the wagon, shown in Figs. 1 and 3, or it may be extended forward for pulling the wagon either as a scooter or as a coaster. The front wheels may also be steered by the feet of the operator applied to the extensions 13-43. If a four-wheeled vehicle is desired, two front wheels may be suitably journaled on the ends of the axle 12.

For compact construction, the front end of the board is curved as at 87, see Fig. 7, to clear the lateral oscillations of the front wheel. It is to be understood that the term wheels includes sled runners or other forms of tractors.

lVhile this embodiment of the invention is designed particularly for use as a toy, it is obvious that with proper modifications and design, within the purview of this invention, it is equally adaptable for use in large vehicles; and the construction and arrangement of the steering wheel, with proper modifications, is adaptable to use in tractors and larger trucks.

Having thus described this invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows 1. A vehicle comprising a body; supporting wheels having axles spaced away from the plane of said body a distance less than the radius of said supporting wheels, and steering gear, combined and arranged so that said wheels and said vehicle will operate in the inverted position.

2. A vehicle comprising a body; supporting wheels on said body with their axes spaced away from the plane of said body; and a steering gear; all combined and arranged so that said wheels and said vehicle will operate in the inverted position.

3. A vehicle comprising a body; a drop axle fixed to said body; wheels on the opposite ends of said axle; drop brackets ex tending beyond the front of said body; a front axle extending across said brackets"; and a steering wheel on said front axle oscillatable between said brackets.

4. A vehicle comprising a body; wheels mounted upon said body; brackets fixed to said body; an axle oscillatably engaging said brackets; a steering wheel mounted upon said axle and capable of steering when said body is in an upright or in an inverted position.

5. A vehicle comprising a body; wheels mounted upon said body; interspaced brackets fixed to said body and having slots therein; a steering axle extending into said slots; a steering wheel mounted upon said front axle; segmental means interposed between said brackets and said steering wheel and engaging said brackets.

6. A vehicle comprising a body; wheels mounted upon said body; interspaced brackets fixed to said body and having slots therein; antifriction rollers adjacent to the ends of said slots; a steering axle extending into said slots; a steering wheel mounted upon said front axle; and circular means on said axle peripherally engaging said rollers.

'7. A vehicle comprising a body; wheels mounted upon said body; interspaced brackets fixed. to said body having slots therein; a steering axle extending into said slots; a steering wheel mounted upon said front axle; and segmental plates pivoted in said axle and peripherally engaging said brackets.

8. A vehicle comprising a body; wheels mounted upon said body; interspaced brackets on said body and having slots therein; a steering axle extending into said slots; antifriction rollers on said axle rolling against said brackets, and means interposed between said axle and said brackets adapted to circumscribe the oscillations of said axle.

S). A vehicle comprising a body; wheels mounted upon said body; interspaced brackets on said body and having slots therein;

antifriction rollers adjacent to the ends of said slots; a steering axle extending into said slots; antifriction rollers on said axle rolling against said brackets, segmental plates pivoted on said axle and peripherally engaging said antifriction rollers on said brackets; and a steering wheel mounted upon said axle.

10. A vehicle comprising a body; wheels mounted upon said body, interspaced brackets fixed to said body and having slots therein; a steering axle extending into said slots,

a steering wheel mounted upon said front axle; segmental means interposed between said brackets and said steering wheel and engaging said brackets,and a control tongue having side strips engaging said axle on opposite sides of said front wheel.

11. A vehicle comprising a body; steering and supporting wheels on said body with their axes spaced away from the plane of said body; a steering tongue having strips engaging the axle of said steerlng wheel, said strips being curved whereby said tongue is adapted to approximate parallel inverted position.

13. A vehicle comprising a body; steering and supporting wheels having axles spaced away from the plane of said body a distance less than the radius of said supporting wheels; a steering means for oscillating the wheel on one of said axles adapted to approximate parallel contact with the plane of said body when said vehicle is operated in. the inverted position.

14;. A vehicle comprising a body; steering and supporting wheels on said body having their axes spaced away from the plane of said body; interspaced brackets fixed to the body for holding the axes of said supporting wheels; interspaced brackets fixed to the body and having slots therein; said steering axle extending between said slots and having said steering wheel mounted thereon; segmental means interposed between said brackets and said steering wheel and engaging said brackets; steering means pivotally mounted on said steering axle for oscillating said axle; whereby said vehicle will opcrate in the inverted position.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand at San Francisco, Cal, this 30th day of August, 1918.

JOE E. SHEARER.

In presence of BALDWIN VALE. 

